Choosing Cool Baby Clothes for Your Friends Baby Shower

I think my biggest fear is being invited to a baby shower for a close friend or relative. Deciding what to buy without breaking the bank isn’t an easy task. When it comes to newborn gifts, there are so many choices available from clothing to toys and all the way to essential items such as bottles and dummies.

The Choices

A few years ago a friend of mine was expecting triplets. Yes that is three babies all due at once, and so deciding what to buy for her was so difficult. All we knew is that it was two girls and one boy.

The baby shower was planned and we were all ready with our plans when I got a call from her husband to say she was in hospital and they were trying to delay the labour. Well as you can imagine, all our planning had gone out of the window.

Anyway, the babies arrived early and spent a month in hospital because they were so small and weak. So we held the baby shower without them and a little late.

The difficult task came when deciding what to buy them. The first thing we all did was buy a bag of disposable nappies each, she was going to need these and lots of them.

The next task was buying the newborn gifts. I chose three personalised new baby gifts and it worked out fantastically. Ichose really cool baby clothes, three baby grows, two pink and one blue and each one was personalised with the baby’s name.

Delighted

My friend was over the moon when she opened up the personalised gifts for baby. They were special, different and something that could be kept even when they had grown up to remember how small they once were.

This became a habit and when they turned six months I did it again, I bought them all cool baby clothes with their names on, but this time it was t-shirts. What I loved is that I could give these wonderful triplets something special; they were gifts just for them and they were always well accepted and appreciated.

My friend has kept these personalised new baby gifts to remind her later on how precious they all were, all lined up in the cot next to each other with their names printed on their chests.

What I loved is that each baby grow and t-shirt that I bought for them was made from organic materials, they were made to the highest quality and best of all the printing I chose was hand printed, this meant no peeling after a few washes. As you know the cheaper printing on clothes always peels away after a couple of washes, these are still stuck in place a few years down the line, even though they are now carefully stored in a box as a memory.

Cool baby clothes make fantastic gifts for newborns; you can add your own message, turning them into personalised gifts for a baby who deserves something so unique and special.

Consider Growing to a Public Company

It is not uncommon for many small business owners to shy away from expansionary decisions, or even think of going public. Why? Most of these business owners are scared of the outcome of growing large, and often attribute this fear to the “high risks involved.” Well, the whole idea of business is risk taking, so why indulge in it in the first place, if you choose to give up so soon? In fact, the truth is, small private businesses and partnerships tend to be at a higher risk of failure. For instance, in the event of a sudden downturn in business activities in a certain industry, larger public companies can easily diversify their resources, and invest in other sectors that are more promising, while small businesses would definitely crumble if such periods become severe and persistent, due to lack of funds. The point here is; the benefits of being a public company are much more than to what meets the eye.

Public companies are those that have the right to request for funds from the general public, usually in the form of selling shares. This is possible when the company is being listed on the stock exchange market. There are many advantages of being a public company:

When a company goes public, it shows a sign of maturity and responsibility. Public companies are liable to many shareholders who are equally owners and share holders at the same time. This results to some level of consciousness in the companies dealings, and the company is compelled to maintain certain high standards in their operations, which in tend to boosts their productivity and returns.

Public companies tend to build a lot of trust with its clientele. The general ideology is, if investors can trust the company with their finances, then the consumers can equally count on them for quality products.

Most companies who grow public tend to realize a drastic reduction in cost. This is because they benefit from larger trade and cash discounts on their purchases, since they have the ability to make larger orders and pay promptly, due to more available funds.

Due to easily accessible capital, public companies can employ very qualified and skilled executives for their companies, who have the potential of using their skills and experience to fetch more returns on the companies’ investments.

Another benefit of being on the stock market is that the cost of capital is relatively lower than those offered at banks, and you do not need to surrender your assets as collateral before getting credit. In fact, it is not compulsory to pay dividend on certain shares, as the holder of such shares can sell them when their value increases (capital gain).

How to reduce the risk for Esophageal Cancer?

When talking about any GI cancer, we must understand that gastrointestinal cancer is not just one type of cancer. It is a group of different cancers that occur in the digestive tract.

Esophageal cancer is one such type of GI cancer. As per WHO, Globocan 2018 data, it is the sixth most common cancer in India, with an incidence rate of 5.04%. It is also the reason for the sixth-most cancer-related deaths in India. It is the 5th most prevalent cancer in Indian males and the 6th most common cancer in females. Often, Indian males are more affected by the disease than women.

The numbers tell us that it is essential to raise awareness in the country when the main factors for causing the disease include tobacco and alcohol consumption – which are both rampant in India.

What are the Most Common Causes of Esophageal Cancer?

Esophageal cancer occurs when the cells in the esophagus mutate and grow unnaturally. Often doctors attribute chronic irritation to result in changes that increase the chances of cancer of the esophagus. A few factors that cause chronic irritation in the organ are listed below:

1. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Our stomach contains acids to digest the food that we consume. When people suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease, they must seek treatment for GERD immediately. The acids can escape into the esophagus and cause heartburn or acid reflux in the mouth. It also affects the esophagus lining and causes Barrette’s Esophagus, which increases the risk of developing adenocarcinoma.

If your surgical gastroenterologist has diagnosed you with Barrette’s Esophagus, it affects the squamous cells of the esophagus to change their structure to become more resistant to stomach acids. The condition can increase your chances of getting adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

2. Consumption of Tobacco in any form

Whether you consume tobacco in any form, including smoking cigarettes, smoking hookah, or chewing betel nut mixed with tobacco, you have five times the risk of developing esophageal cancer.

If you are currently smoking or consuming tobacco, talk to your trusted doctor and learn to quit your habit. From nicotine patches, physical relaxation techniques, and avoiding tobacco triggers, your doctor will guide you in the right way.

3. Consumption of Alcohol

People who regularly consume alcohol have a higher risk of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Whether your intake is one glass of alcohol daily or every couple of days, you can benefit by letting go of your habit. Also, when you combine alcohol with smoking, it increases the risk of esophageal cancer phenomenally.

4. Obesity

An obese patient with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30 has shown a higher risk of esophageal cancer. One reason obesity is closely associated with esophageal cancer is obese and overweight individuals often suffer from GERD, which increases the risk of cancer of the esophagus.

If you want to lead a healthy and cancer-free life, focus on maintaining healthy body weight. Include physical activity, exercise, and meditation in your lifestyle to reduce stress and improve health.

5. Reduced Intake of Fiber (Fruits/Vegetables)

Your diet affects the health of your body. Although more research is required for the effects of diet on the risks of esophageal cancer, doctors often recommend limiting the consumption of processed meat. Additionally, if you regularly consume hot beverages or avoid an intake of vegetables and fruits, they can increase your risk.

To ensure a healthy digestive system, focus on consuming more fruits and vegetables. Eat fresh produce and limit processed, fermented and spicy foods that cause acid reflux.

6. Gender and Previous History of Cancer

One must note that incidences of esophageal cancer are higher in men than in women. So, if your lifestyle makes you susceptible to the disease, ensure regular medical screening from the beginning.

Additionally, if you have a previous history of lung cancer, mouth cancer, throat cancer, and other types of GI cancer, your risks increase multiple times. In such situations, you must consult a GI surgeon and learn ways to reduce the risk of esophageal cancer.

Take care of your Health!

Not all risk factors associated with esophageal cancer are modifiable, but many are. If you want to reduce the risk of cancer of the esophagus, take precautions, adopt a healthy lifestyle and learn more about diseases of the esophagus. Reduce your alcohol intake, limit your tobacco consumption, and maintain a healthy weight.

One more crucial aspect is regular medical screening. Several types of GI cancer, including esophageal cancer, can be treated successfully if your surgical gastroenterologist can detect the problem early. So, you must visit your doctor for routine medical checkups and look for any obstruction that you might feel in the esophagus while swallowing. If you are experiencing pain in the esophagus or notice some blood, do not wait. Consult your GI surgeon immediately for esophageal cancer treatment.